>> now to london for prime minister's question time live from the british house of commons. every wednesday while parliament is in session, prime minister david cameron takes questions from members of the house of commons. him prior to question time the house is wrapping up other business. this is live coverage on c-span2. >> thank you the government has taken action to protect the economy to achieve strong sustainable and balanced growth. because of this action in over 1 million private sector jobs created across the uk since we came to power. >> in the interests of the honorable gentleman let's have a bit of order. mr. andrew sullivan. >> in two years this government has greater 1.2 million net new private sector jobs, nearly double the amount the last government created the last 10 years. how have we done this in wales? >> i'm very pleased to inform the house we are seeing similar good progress in wales.

an estimated 60,000 additional private sector jobs have been created in wales since may 2010. >> order. questions to the prime minister. henry smith. >> number one, serve. >> thank you, mr. speaker. i'm sure before answering the whole house will wish to join me in expressing our sympathies to the terms of the appalling flooding we've seen across our country in recent days. and also in getting support and praise to our emergency services, the police, fire, and the service and invited agency to local councils, and good neighbors will hold an extraordinary things to help those in distress. mr. speaker, this morning i had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others, in addition to my duties in this house i show up for the much meetings later today. >> the whole house will of course endorse the words of the prime minister in paying tribute to our fantastic emergency services responded to the

terrible floods, and those who have been victims of it. mr. speaker, tomorrow sees the publication of the leveson report. does my right honorable friend agree with me that those who should be uppermost in our minds are the victims of previous media -- i'm fairly quick study agree with me that the status quo needs updating? >> i think my honorable friend is right and what he said. the status quo i would argue does not just need updating. the status quo is unacceptable and needs to change. this government set up a leveson because of unacceptable practices in parts of the media because of a failed regulatory system. i'm looking forward to reading the report carefully. i'm sure all members will want to consider it carefully. i think we should try and work across party lines on this issue. it's right to me with the other party leaders about this issue, and i will do so. what matters most is we end up with an independent regulatory

system that can deliver and in which the public will have confidence. >> ed miliband. >> mr. speaker, let me say i associate myself entirely with the prime minister's remarks about the victims of flooding. all of my 70s in sympathies of the side of the house go to those victims, and our thanks go to the emergency services and the environment agency for the fantastic job that they do. let me also associate myself with his remark about the leveson report which we published tomorrow. i hope we can work on an all party bases. this is a once in a generation opportunity for real change. and i hope that this house can make it happen. mr. speaker, when the work program was launched in june 2011, the prime minister described it as, and i quote, the biggest and boldest program since the great depression. 18 months on, can the update the house on how it is going? >> yes icann. i can update out to over 800,000

people have taken part in the work program. over half came off benefits. over 200,000 people have gotten into work because of the work program. but i think it is worth remembering that the work program is dealing with the hardest to work cases there are in our country. these are people, adults have been out of work for over a year, and young people have been out of work for over nine months. on that basis yes, we need to make further progress but it's the right program. >> him it was supposed to create sustained jobs for people. in a whole year of the program, out of every 100 people, just to got a job. that is a success rate of 2%. and the government estimate, i don't know why the part-time chancellor is chuckling. he was telling off yesterday the

failure of the work program. [shouting] and the government, and the government estimates without a work program this is how they did the tender, five out of every 100 would get a job. mr. speaker, isn't it a historic first design a welfare to work program where you're more likely to get job if you're not on the program? [laughter] >> i have to say to the leader of the opposition i listened very carefully what he said, and what he said was wrong. he said only 2% people on this program got a job. that is not correct. there are over 800,000 people have taken part, over 200,000 people have gotten into work. if you look at the specific figure he was referring to, yesterday, which is those people continuously in work for six months. but, of course, he's only looking at a program that has been going for a year. that figure is 19,000 people. but i think he should listen, he

should listen to the cbi. the cbi say to work program is already helped to turn around the lives of thousands of people. these are people labour left on the scrappy. he should be apologizing, not attacking. [shouting] >> ed miliband. >> i think that's as close as we get to an admission that i was right and he was wrong, mr. speaker. now, he boasted, he boasted that its flagship policy the work program was about tackling the scourge of long-term unemployment. can he confirm, can he confirm that this work program was introduced in june of 2011, long-term unemployment has risen by 96%? >> well, let me give them the employment numbers. 1 million more private sector jobs over the last two years. since the last election, 190,000 fewer people on out of work benefits. just in the last quarter, employment up by 100,000, unemployment down by 49,000.

while we're at it, let's just remember, labour's poisonous legacy. youth unemployment up 40%. women unemployment up 24%. 5 million on out of work benefits. that's the legacy we're dealing with and we're getting the country back to work. [shouting] >> ed miliband. >> i wish for once, mr. speaker, you would just answer the question. i asked him a very civil question about whether long-term unemployment had gone up by 96% since the work program was introduced and and its issues. while he's talking about labour's program, let's talk about the future jobs fun. last friday the government entered a very interesting document, mr. speaker. he spent two years rubbishing the future jobs fun. what does this document say? it said the scheme provided net benefit to participants, their employers and society as a whole. in other words, it was a success. it held 120,000 young people

into work. his work program has only helped 3000 people. they shout what does it cost? we can't afford not to young people in work, mr. speaker. [shouting] isn't the truth he got rid of a labour program that was working and replace it with a tory one that isn't? [shouting] >> once again he's completely wrong and let me give them the figures. our work experience program using half of young people taking part getting into work. that is the same result of the future jobs fund and it costs 20 times less. that is the truth. our program is good value for taxpayers money, getting people into work. he wasted money and left people on the dole. >> mr. speaker, the more he blogs the writer he gets, the less convincing it is. that is the reality. [laughter] look, we know, we know in real time what happened at yesterday's cabinet. they were at each other like

rats in the sack. [laughter] the chancellor, the chancellor is blaming the work and pensions secretary. the work and pensions secretary, he's blaming the chancellor for the lack of growth. the prime minister, he is doing what he does best. he is blaming everyone else for the failure. and isn't this the reality? isn't this the reality? their failure on the work program is a product of their failure to get growth and the failure of the whole economic strategy? >> the work in a government where the transit and chancellor couldn't be in the same room as each other. [laughter] rats in a sack doesn't even -- let's have look at why don't we have a look at what he's achieved on welfare this week. labour voted against the welfare cat. they voted again the welfare cap and now today they are asking us to vote on emotion in front of his house on welfare. last night this motion

specifically said they wanted further reform of welfare. today, the motion has mentioned nothing about reform of welfare. the truth is they are against the benefit cap, they're against the housing benefit cap, they're against the work program. they are officially the party of something for nothing. [shouting] >> ed miliband. >> i'll tell him the reality, mr. speaker. [shouting] i'll tell him the reality. his welfare program is failing. his welfare reform program is failing because it isn't the work and its economic strategy is failing him and that is the reality. he has a work program that isn't working. a growth strategy that's not delivery and a deficit that is rising. it is a government that is failing, a prime minister that is failing, and -- >> calm down, calm down. [shouting]

>> he just can't keep his cool when he knows he is losing the argument, mr. speaker,. [shouting] and it's the british people are paying the price for his failure. [shouting] >> i think what we can see is the leadership that is a drowning. >> this scrap the jobs tax, enterprise the enterprise zone. that is funded one many apprenticeships, that is rebuilding our economy, that these 1 million more people in private sector work. we're putting the country back to work. their party reckitt. [shouting] >> thank you, mr. speaker. will the prime minister join me in congratulating the formula one team on winning the world championship for three years in a row? another fine example of british technological innovation. >> i'm delighted to praise and they traded to the formula one team based in his constituency,

which sadly be the formula one team based in my constituency. but it is actually a remarkable fact that if you look at almost all of the formula one cars, whatever their racing in the world, that are almost all built, designed, engineered here in britain. it's an industry in which we live the world in which we should be very proud of it. >> the prime minister must have studied -- [inaudible] the future jobs and has a net benefit, and given this report, and given the youth unemployment is now higher and less about was in the general election why did he tell me at questions a year ago that a future jobs fund provided just and i quote -- [inaudible] >> first of all he needs to explain what youth unemployment went up 40% of the last labour government. but the facts of the future jobs fund rds. if you take the figures for birmingham, 2% of the placements under the future jobs fund were

into private sector. the rest was in the public sector. the cost of the scheme was 20 times higher than the work experience placements which is doing just as well. >> order. the right honorable lady must be hurt. >> my right honorable friend is aware government has been consulting on the conversations you will get in a just too goes ahead. this is very critical for people in my constituency. and i was asked the prime minister if you give me a personal -- that he will study the proposal for the final packages for compensation and assure that there are people's homes, businesses and lives will be totally disrupted by this if it goes ahead and less both fairly and generously compensate? >> i will look carefully at the scheme. we are consulting as she knows at the moment the proposals we've put forward at asking the

scheme for ages one and better for the compensation scheme for previous motorway development. as she knows there's an advance purchase scheme for property purchase disabled by the process for property owners in the safeguarded area. is also voluntary purchase a scheme to allow homeowners outside the area to have their homes purchased here but i'm happy to discuss with her and others how we can make sure that the scheme works properly for people. >> thank you, mr. speaker. on monday, the recent crime commission called for police in the west midlands. it's the highest policing needs outside of london. how can the prime minister help to propel a nation if they lose -- [inaudible] get an extra 250 bodies on the beach. >> the point i would make to the honorable lady is yes, we have

the police to meet funding reductions and they've been able to do that with actually keeping a higher proportion of bobby's on the frontline which actually has been effected. taking people out of back-office jobs and at the same time crime has fallen and public confidence in the police has risen so yes, we are asking the police to take up decision but they're doing and they're delivering. >> i'd like to congratulate the coalition government on introducing regulation on introducing regulation to protect the welfare of wild animals performing in traveling circuses. yet this house this house voted overwhelmingly for a complete ban in 2011. while we wait for a draft bill to be published, will the prime minister committed to introducing legislation so that this can be introduced in this parliament? >> i think my honorable friend is right to erase the fact would

change the regulations even in advance of legislation so clearly expressed the will of this house can be met. >> prices in this country are amongst the higher highest country in the you. these diesel prices are the very highest. can he turn his mind to maximum limits on fuel duty and start reducing the price of petrol and diesel for hard-pressed families and businesses across the uk? >> the honorable gentleman makes an important point and, of course, because of the changes we have made, petrol and diesel are less than he otherwise would've been if we had kept the tax increases that were put in place by the party opposite. that's effected his government and want to go making that progress. >> could i think my right honorable friend for visiting with me just and finding my constituency been severely affected by flooding.

what they wish knows how they will now get insurance at affordable rates for flooding, particularly and many of those homes have been blighted. wiki join me and pressing the association of british insurance to stop grandstanding in their negotiations to get down to the table so my constituents can get the insurance they need? >> i think the auto finance very important point and i very much enjoy just revisiting his constituency with him, seeing it firsthand all the damage done by the floods. and speaking with local people, the emergency service and environment agency about all the work that is being done to try to protect more houses in future. we do need to address this insurance issue. negotiations are under way. the minister of our government is leaving for the government. i do want us to get a resolution so insurance companies actually provide what their me too, insurance for people living in their homes while proper protection. >> i thank the prime minister for his expression of sympathy to the family of my elderly

constituents who died in the floods, and i join him in expressing, all those, i think for people who died. will the prime minister reverse 30% cuts he's made in defenses in the past two years, and what part will he pay on issue of flood insurance for those who live in flooded areas of? >> first of all let me join the honorable gentleman and think tribute to his constituents who have to bear some truly terrible flood. the pictures were a floods of biblical scenes and in no the emergency services have performed extraordinary feats to rescue people and to help people at what is a very difficult time. on the issue of flood defense spending by government is planning to spend over 2 billion over the next four years. 6% less than over the previous four years but we believe i spend the money better and by leveraging money from private and other sectors, we can actually increase the level of flood defense spending.

by spending that is already underway will protect an additional 145,000 homes between now and 2015. but if we can go further, of course we should. >> over 3 million a year fall victim to postal scams, telephone calls and e-mails making false promises of lottery windfalls and inheritance. is my right honorable friend, the prime minister, aware that 3.5 million pounds per year is lost at uk consumers? and will he commit to working for home office for existing legislation to protect the elderly and vulnerable victim's? >> i think my honorable friend makes a very important point. this is a growing area of crime and criminology that is taking place and taking advantage of people using the internet. but often people are very vulnerable. that's why as part of the national crime agency we are setting up a new unit dedicated to tackling this problem that will work across agencies to catch criminals and to take steps that she rightly speaks

about. >> thank you, mr. speaker. leader of opposition a moment ago asked prime minister -- [inaudible] by 96%. he did not receive an answer. could ask the prime minister again, youth unemployment has risen by 96%? >> i've given the figures for the work program, 800,000 people taking part, 200,000 people getting worked, and this is again the background were the last quarter unemployment is coming down. the rate of youth unemployment is coming down and that more people in work. that is a record we can build on. >> mr. speaker, a free press is a necessary counterbalance to a strong state. the british people also have an appearance sense of fairness. therefore, we do not need to restrict the press. we need to focus on we press but the press gaza and unacceptable line. with that in mind with prime

minister, will my right honorable friend look at the whole question of access to justice in this country so that the ability to use the laws we already have on both are available to everyone, not just the rich and famous? >> i think my right honorable friend makes an important point about access to justice, but i think one of the key things that the leveson inquiry is trying to get to the bottom of is how can you have a strong and independent regulatory system so that you don't have to wait for the wheels of the criminal justice system or the libel system to work. people should be able to ally -- relight a good regular system to get the redressed they want whether that is apologies or fines for newspapers or the other things that are clearly so necessary. >> the department of education is going to shut down with the loss of 101 jobs at lee's which is in 27 -- [inaudible] cannot ask the prime minister how this is going to help unemployment and social deprivation in my constituency

likes the secretary has refused a meeting on this matter. >> i know they haven't met to discuss this and it certainly discuss this with the secretary of state as well. of course, there will be consultation with affected staff and other local mps but let me make this point to the honorable gentleman because i think it is important, you all know you have to find savings in departmental overhead budgets and no to maximize the money that goes into the schools. what this government has managed to do is to maintain the per pupil funding, and i'm sure that audible members thinking about what think that's the most important thing for our schools, for children and for our education system. >> more than 10,000 men have died from prostate cancer, the silent killer. survival rates have increased because of early diagnosis and better drugs. and i pay tribute to the prime minister's cancer drug phone and ask you to join in welcome to november campaigns work to raise male health awareness and

champion british research and? >> i don't only join but praises efforts that are looking tenderly under his nose in terms of that regard i think it is an important campaign because it raises awareness about cancer but it raises awareness about cancer including the ones he mentioned that sometimes people are worried about, mentioning and talking about, raising awareness is important but also the cancer drugs funds to make sure it gets the drugs to peop people. >> i once represented a seriously injured in car crash victim who was hounded by an irresponsible press. when he said of the leveson inquiry, prime minister said, i accept we can't say it is last chance saloon all over again. we've done that. will the prime minister, for the victims, for the dowlers, keep his word?

>> i think the honorable gentleman is absolutely right, as is my honorable friend the member of saint uppermost in our mind as we consider this report should be the victims of the press intrusion and invasions into privacy and the appalling things in some cases that was written about them and their families. what we owe them as a regulatory system that will work for them, that the public will have confidence in the and that is what we hope leveson will produce. >> leaving home before it's light, returning from work when it's dark, hard working families have a gross household income of just 25,000 pounds. does my right honorable friend think it's right that the neighbors living off benefits currently earn more? >> well, my honorable friend makes an important welcome and only this week we've yet again how they vote on our welfare benefits cap, which most people would see as generous at 26,000 pounds. and once again labour have voted for unlimited welfare.

we have long memories. we can remember that under labour, some families were getting 70, 80, 90, 100,000 pounds of housing benefit. they did nothing about it because they believe in something for nothing. >> since the prime minister denounced aggressive tax avoidance as morally repugnant, why is his own government now itself actively promoting aggressive tax avoidance by cutting the tax on -- to open a finance company from the current 23% to just 5%? how can we be one nation when the government is on the side of the tax dodger? >> i think that right honorable friend is misunderstood what we're doing. we are introducing a general anti-avoidance of rule, something which he in 13 years of labour government never managed to do. we will do it in three. >> greg mulholland. >> thank you, mr. speaker.

we were all inspired by the amazing winter 2012 on the paralympics game, incredible summer sport. but it's so important to get people involved in grassroots community sports. will the prime minister meet with me with the sports and recreation of lines the committee sports partnership network for england that is being inspired, the first -- [inaudible] >> i'm happy to meet with my honorable friend about this issue. i do think it's important that we take the legacy of the olympic center into increased rates of participation. i think that means yes working with organizations he is speaking about but also recognizing that many heroes and heroines right around the country to run the saturday morning club, rickets up, i think those clubs that lie so much of the answer and more sport into her schools as well. >> will the prime minister like me welcome to cease-fire in gaza

last week and regret all those who died as result of the conflict? but also recognize that fundamentally the future of the middle east lies with piece and justice of the palestinian people, be they in gaza, the west bank or in refugee camps? we have to recognize palestinian people. so accordingly, tomorrow will the british government cast our vote at united nations in favor of palestinian recognition without any preconditions such as suggesting they should not have access to international criminal courts as an independent recognized nation? >> i serve join the honorable gentleman in welcoming the fact there is a cease-fire and that conflict has ceased. i don't go all the way with them on the rest of this question but my right honorable friend will make his statement in a few moments about it. i don't want to steal his thunder but i think it is important that we use our vote to try to say to both sides in

this conflict, we need talks without preconditions. in the end as i said on monday, the only way we're going to see piece process that works is when israel and palestinians come to the table and talk to the final stages of issues, including jerusalem, including refugees, including borders when they do it themselves. we can wish for all we want it in the end you've got to have direct talks between the direct party to get a two-state solution we want. >> thank you, mr. speaker. prime minister will be aware that on the order of tomorrow's business, there's a debate in my name to mark the 40th anniversary of the expulsion of asians from uganda and the arrival in the uk. however, because of the need for a statement on the leveson inquiry, it's likely my debate may not be faced. i fully appreciate it. however, with the prime minister acknowledge the importance and the need for having such a need

and will he do whatever he can to assure that i'm given another case? >> i think the reaction of colleagues from right across the house shows that he speaks for the whole house and avoid the whole country in wanting to speak up for the ugandan asians taking your country in the 1970s who made the most fantastic contribution to our national life, and it's very good to see, i know i remember meeting his parents. i'm proud they are of a. second generation coming to this country, sitting in the house of commons and speaking up so well on these and other issues. one, i don't have control of the house of commons sadly -- [laughter] i very much hope that the people that do will listen carefully to the point he made and rescheduled this debate as fast as possible. >> thank you, mr. speaker. can the prime minister confirm as a result of -- [inaudible] people earning over 1 million pounds will not shoot at an average of